The PM just got a pay rise. Here's how his salary compares to Trump and other leaders
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be paid more than US President Donald Trump from next month after the Remuneration Tribunal boosted federal politicians' pay by 2.4 per cent. But how does his salary compare to that of other countries' leaders?
While the US president's salary has been steady since 2001, the Remuneration Tribunal determines the change in salaries of Australian ministers – including the prime minister – every year.
The latest decision, which takes effect on July 1, lifts Albanese's salary from $607,500 to $622,071. That means he will now overtake Trump, who is paid $US400,000 ($617,000).
Albanese's latest pay rise is lower than the 3.5 per cent increase granted by the Fair Work Commission for minimum wage earners earlier this month, which the tribunal considered alongside economic conditions and past and projected movements in private and public sector pay.
While Albanese is among the highest-paid government leaders in the world, he falls short of some heads of state in neighbouring countries.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, for example, is the highest-paid government leader, collecting $SG2.2 million ($2.5 million) last year. Singapore's ministerial salaries were raised in the 1980s because the country's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, believed high salaries would reduce the temptation for corruption and attract the best people from the private sector to the public service.
The leader, or chief executive, of Hong Kong also earns more than Albanese. Last year, the Hong Kong Free Press reported that John Lee would be paid about $HK5.6 million ($1.1 million).
The Swiss president, who holds the position on a rotational one-year basis, received about 459,688 Swiss francs ($877,101) in 2024, placing the current leader, Karin Keller-Sutter, among the highest-paid in the world.
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The Advertiser
40 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
'Flat whites the biggest seller': the man bringing Aussie coffee culture to Japan
John Widmer has become quite the popular "coffee bloke" on a small island in Japan. Two years ago, he moved to Himeshima, where he opened a cafe that exclusively uses Australian beans. With his Japanese wife, Teruko Nakamichi, they run Ozi Cafe - and all the locals and tourists have taken notice. The island has a population of only about 1700 people. Mr Widmer, from Cronulla, is the island's only foreign resident. He says his business is boosting the local economy. His cafe sits directly across a ferry pier. The first thing tourists see is his cafe. And it's not hard to spot. Painted in green and gold, it stands out. "I think my cafe is the most photographed thing on the island now," he said. "It has bright Aussie sporting colours. When you look at the rest of Japan, there are many greys and browns. When the ferry pulls in, all the people pull their phones out and take pictures of the cafe. A walking tour called Walk Japan has also included the island on its tour - lots of Aussies do it." Bringing Australian coffee to Japan has been a hit, he says. "I couldn't get good beans or good coffee here. It was either under or over-roasted or too weak. The coffee culture is about 20 years behind Australia's, but I don't think it will take them 20 years to catch up. "I rang Di Lorenzo, and they sent me eight kilos for free. People love it, and we're getting lots of online orders. Customers are driving from other areas of Japan - three hours away, to buy the beans or have a coffee at the weekend." A popular request is a flat white. But it wasn't always the case. "Japanese are big on their black coffee - they're a lot like the Americans. I used to make Americanos, but now I call it an Australiano," Mr Widmer said. "They won't touch iced coffee in winter, but they like flat whites - our biggest seller. "I'm also making tea from a supplier from Perth. It's an Aboriginal-backed company that uses native Australians like lemon myrtle. They're a hit. I also use eco-friendly cups - no plastic lids. A cup of coffee is about $5." Mr Widmer also teaches children on the island how to swim. He previously owned a successful swimming school in Sutherland Shire. But the business went into liquidation during COVID-19, and he left Sydney at a time when travel was difficult. It was where he learnt how to make a decent coffee. "When I had the swim school, we had a coffee shop, so I did a barista course then," he said. "I knew how to make coffee." Now a resident of Japan, he says he feels right at home. "I love this country," he said. "The respect, courtesy and politeness of the Japanese people are unmatched anywhere in the world. It's cheap, and the food is fresh and seasonal." Despite the language barrier (he speaks very little Japanese), he adjusted to life by bringing a familiar taste of Australia to Japan. He started communicating with customers using Google Translate, and his wife helps. "I speak single words," he said. Mr Widmer's signature logo - a caricature of a face that he draws, features on the coffee cups. "It's the face I've been drawing since I was 12," he said. "I do it in eight different colours. People cut them off, put them on the back of their phones, and collect them. I've seen them on windows in people's cars. It's become a bit of an icon on the island. We've been on national television here." He also sells snacks, and aromatherapy balms made by Cronulla's Sharon Turner. But he's best known for his "loud shirts". "I can't go anywhere without kids recognising me," he said. "The mayor said I'm putting the island back on the map." John Widmer has become quite the popular "coffee bloke" on a small island in Japan. Two years ago, he moved to Himeshima, where he opened a cafe that exclusively uses Australian beans. With his Japanese wife, Teruko Nakamichi, they run Ozi Cafe - and all the locals and tourists have taken notice. The island has a population of only about 1700 people. Mr Widmer, from Cronulla, is the island's only foreign resident. He says his business is boosting the local economy. His cafe sits directly across a ferry pier. The first thing tourists see is his cafe. And it's not hard to spot. Painted in green and gold, it stands out. "I think my cafe is the most photographed thing on the island now," he said. "It has bright Aussie sporting colours. When you look at the rest of Japan, there are many greys and browns. When the ferry pulls in, all the people pull their phones out and take pictures of the cafe. A walking tour called Walk Japan has also included the island on its tour - lots of Aussies do it." Bringing Australian coffee to Japan has been a hit, he says. "I couldn't get good beans or good coffee here. It was either under or over-roasted or too weak. The coffee culture is about 20 years behind Australia's, but I don't think it will take them 20 years to catch up. "I rang Di Lorenzo, and they sent me eight kilos for free. People love it, and we're getting lots of online orders. Customers are driving from other areas of Japan - three hours away, to buy the beans or have a coffee at the weekend." A popular request is a flat white. But it wasn't always the case. "Japanese are big on their black coffee - they're a lot like the Americans. I used to make Americanos, but now I call it an Australiano," Mr Widmer said. "They won't touch iced coffee in winter, but they like flat whites - our biggest seller. "I'm also making tea from a supplier from Perth. It's an Aboriginal-backed company that uses native Australians like lemon myrtle. They're a hit. I also use eco-friendly cups - no plastic lids. A cup of coffee is about $5." Mr Widmer also teaches children on the island how to swim. He previously owned a successful swimming school in Sutherland Shire. But the business went into liquidation during COVID-19, and he left Sydney at a time when travel was difficult. It was where he learnt how to make a decent coffee. "When I had the swim school, we had a coffee shop, so I did a barista course then," he said. "I knew how to make coffee." Now a resident of Japan, he says he feels right at home. "I love this country," he said. "The respect, courtesy and politeness of the Japanese people are unmatched anywhere in the world. It's cheap, and the food is fresh and seasonal." Despite the language barrier (he speaks very little Japanese), he adjusted to life by bringing a familiar taste of Australia to Japan. He started communicating with customers using Google Translate, and his wife helps. "I speak single words," he said. Mr Widmer's signature logo - a caricature of a face that he draws, features on the coffee cups. "It's the face I've been drawing since I was 12," he said. "I do it in eight different colours. People cut them off, put them on the back of their phones, and collect them. I've seen them on windows in people's cars. It's become a bit of an icon on the island. We've been on national television here." He also sells snacks, and aromatherapy balms made by Cronulla's Sharon Turner. But he's best known for his "loud shirts". "I can't go anywhere without kids recognising me," he said. "The mayor said I'm putting the island back on the map." John Widmer has become quite the popular "coffee bloke" on a small island in Japan. Two years ago, he moved to Himeshima, where he opened a cafe that exclusively uses Australian beans. With his Japanese wife, Teruko Nakamichi, they run Ozi Cafe - and all the locals and tourists have taken notice. The island has a population of only about 1700 people. Mr Widmer, from Cronulla, is the island's only foreign resident. He says his business is boosting the local economy. His cafe sits directly across a ferry pier. The first thing tourists see is his cafe. And it's not hard to spot. Painted in green and gold, it stands out. "I think my cafe is the most photographed thing on the island now," he said. "It has bright Aussie sporting colours. When you look at the rest of Japan, there are many greys and browns. When the ferry pulls in, all the people pull their phones out and take pictures of the cafe. A walking tour called Walk Japan has also included the island on its tour - lots of Aussies do it." Bringing Australian coffee to Japan has been a hit, he says. "I couldn't get good beans or good coffee here. It was either under or over-roasted or too weak. The coffee culture is about 20 years behind Australia's, but I don't think it will take them 20 years to catch up. "I rang Di Lorenzo, and they sent me eight kilos for free. People love it, and we're getting lots of online orders. Customers are driving from other areas of Japan - three hours away, to buy the beans or have a coffee at the weekend." A popular request is a flat white. But it wasn't always the case. "Japanese are big on their black coffee - they're a lot like the Americans. I used to make Americanos, but now I call it an Australiano," Mr Widmer said. "They won't touch iced coffee in winter, but they like flat whites - our biggest seller. "I'm also making tea from a supplier from Perth. It's an Aboriginal-backed company that uses native Australians like lemon myrtle. They're a hit. I also use eco-friendly cups - no plastic lids. A cup of coffee is about $5." Mr Widmer also teaches children on the island how to swim. He previously owned a successful swimming school in Sutherland Shire. But the business went into liquidation during COVID-19, and he left Sydney at a time when travel was difficult. It was where he learnt how to make a decent coffee. "When I had the swim school, we had a coffee shop, so I did a barista course then," he said. "I knew how to make coffee." Now a resident of Japan, he says he feels right at home. "I love this country," he said. "The respect, courtesy and politeness of the Japanese people are unmatched anywhere in the world. It's cheap, and the food is fresh and seasonal." Despite the language barrier (he speaks very little Japanese), he adjusted to life by bringing a familiar taste of Australia to Japan. He started communicating with customers using Google Translate, and his wife helps. "I speak single words," he said. Mr Widmer's signature logo - a caricature of a face that he draws, features on the coffee cups. "It's the face I've been drawing since I was 12," he said. "I do it in eight different colours. People cut them off, put them on the back of their phones, and collect them. I've seen them on windows in people's cars. It's become a bit of an icon on the island. We've been on national television here." He also sells snacks, and aromatherapy balms made by Cronulla's Sharon Turner. But he's best known for his "loud shirts". "I can't go anywhere without kids recognising me," he said. "The mayor said I'm putting the island back on the map." John Widmer has become quite the popular "coffee bloke" on a small island in Japan. Two years ago, he moved to Himeshima, where he opened a cafe that exclusively uses Australian beans. With his Japanese wife, Teruko Nakamichi, they run Ozi Cafe - and all the locals and tourists have taken notice. The island has a population of only about 1700 people. Mr Widmer, from Cronulla, is the island's only foreign resident. He says his business is boosting the local economy. His cafe sits directly across a ferry pier. The first thing tourists see is his cafe. And it's not hard to spot. Painted in green and gold, it stands out. "I think my cafe is the most photographed thing on the island now," he said. "It has bright Aussie sporting colours. When you look at the rest of Japan, there are many greys and browns. When the ferry pulls in, all the people pull their phones out and take pictures of the cafe. A walking tour called Walk Japan has also included the island on its tour - lots of Aussies do it." Bringing Australian coffee to Japan has been a hit, he says. "I couldn't get good beans or good coffee here. It was either under or over-roasted or too weak. The coffee culture is about 20 years behind Australia's, but I don't think it will take them 20 years to catch up. "I rang Di Lorenzo, and they sent me eight kilos for free. People love it, and we're getting lots of online orders. Customers are driving from other areas of Japan - three hours away, to buy the beans or have a coffee at the weekend." A popular request is a flat white. But it wasn't always the case. "Japanese are big on their black coffee - they're a lot like the Americans. I used to make Americanos, but now I call it an Australiano," Mr Widmer said. "They won't touch iced coffee in winter, but they like flat whites - our biggest seller. "I'm also making tea from a supplier from Perth. It's an Aboriginal-backed company that uses native Australians like lemon myrtle. They're a hit. I also use eco-friendly cups - no plastic lids. A cup of coffee is about $5." Mr Widmer also teaches children on the island how to swim. He previously owned a successful swimming school in Sutherland Shire. But the business went into liquidation during COVID-19, and he left Sydney at a time when travel was difficult. It was where he learnt how to make a decent coffee. "When I had the swim school, we had a coffee shop, so I did a barista course then," he said. "I knew how to make coffee." Now a resident of Japan, he says he feels right at home. "I love this country," he said. "The respect, courtesy and politeness of the Japanese people are unmatched anywhere in the world. It's cheap, and the food is fresh and seasonal." Despite the language barrier (he speaks very little Japanese), he adjusted to life by bringing a familiar taste of Australia to Japan. He started communicating with customers using Google Translate, and his wife helps. "I speak single words," he said. Mr Widmer's signature logo - a caricature of a face that he draws, features on the coffee cups. "It's the face I've been drawing since I was 12," he said. "I do it in eight different colours. People cut them off, put them on the back of their phones, and collect them. I've seen them on windows in people's cars. It's become a bit of an icon on the island. We've been on national television here." He also sells snacks, and aromatherapy balms made by Cronulla's Sharon Turner. But he's best known for his "loud shirts". "I can't go anywhere without kids recognising me," he said. "The mayor said I'm putting the island back on the map."
The Advertiser
40 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Prepare for lift off: airport city scores $800m pledge
An "airport city" projected to soar sky high as an urban model for other Australian centres to follow is getting a major cash injection for infrastructure. The aerotropolis precinct near the under-construction Western Sydney International Airport will receive $835 million in support as part of the NSW budget, to be delivered later in June. Some $30 million will go solely to ensuring road signs across the state capital can direct road users to the billion-dollar airport city. Sydney Water will also invest $644 million to deliver stormwater and recycled water infrastructure across the Mamre Road precinct, northwest of the airport, the state government announced on Monday. Much of the site is farmland serviced only by local roads and basic infrastructure. The surrounding 11,200-hectare industrial and housing zone is designed to create thousands of jobs and drive economic growth in western Sydney. The airport is scheduled to open in late 2026, but delays in building the hub around it has prompted NSW Premier Chris Minns to be proactive. "The reason we're making that investment is to learn the lessons of previous governments," he told reporters on Monday. "Communities came, the homes went in, the population massively increased, but essential infrastructure just was never built, or it came years later. "We're trying to get in early ... whether it's this upcoming budget or the previous two, in southwestern Sydney, you are seeing for the first time in a long time, an investment in essential services." Other funding includes $150 million for roads around the airport district for freight transport and to account for the city's expanding population. Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison also noted how western Sydney, housing nearly half of the city's 5.6 million residents, was promised a lot from politicians but delivery had been slow. "We know that western Sydney has been struggling for a decade or more to get the roads infrastructure that it needs," she said. The $5.3 billion international aviation hub will cater for up to five million passengers per year. The area will also be fitted out with a new fire station that will become the largest in western Sydney, with $42 million to be spent on the Badgerys Creek facility and more than 50 extra firefighters. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey was upbeat about the budget on Sunday, saying it would show real wages growing and a recovery in disposable incomes after recent interest rate cuts. NSW was forecast to record a $5 billion budget deficit in 2024/25 amid sluggish home sales and fast-growing cost of insurance for state employees, according to a mid-year update delivered in December. An "airport city" projected to soar sky high as an urban model for other Australian centres to follow is getting a major cash injection for infrastructure. The aerotropolis precinct near the under-construction Western Sydney International Airport will receive $835 million in support as part of the NSW budget, to be delivered later in June. Some $30 million will go solely to ensuring road signs across the state capital can direct road users to the billion-dollar airport city. Sydney Water will also invest $644 million to deliver stormwater and recycled water infrastructure across the Mamre Road precinct, northwest of the airport, the state government announced on Monday. Much of the site is farmland serviced only by local roads and basic infrastructure. The surrounding 11,200-hectare industrial and housing zone is designed to create thousands of jobs and drive economic growth in western Sydney. The airport is scheduled to open in late 2026, but delays in building the hub around it has prompted NSW Premier Chris Minns to be proactive. "The reason we're making that investment is to learn the lessons of previous governments," he told reporters on Monday. "Communities came, the homes went in, the population massively increased, but essential infrastructure just was never built, or it came years later. "We're trying to get in early ... whether it's this upcoming budget or the previous two, in southwestern Sydney, you are seeing for the first time in a long time, an investment in essential services." Other funding includes $150 million for roads around the airport district for freight transport and to account for the city's expanding population. Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison also noted how western Sydney, housing nearly half of the city's 5.6 million residents, was promised a lot from politicians but delivery had been slow. "We know that western Sydney has been struggling for a decade or more to get the roads infrastructure that it needs," she said. The $5.3 billion international aviation hub will cater for up to five million passengers per year. The area will also be fitted out with a new fire station that will become the largest in western Sydney, with $42 million to be spent on the Badgerys Creek facility and more than 50 extra firefighters. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey was upbeat about the budget on Sunday, saying it would show real wages growing and a recovery in disposable incomes after recent interest rate cuts. NSW was forecast to record a $5 billion budget deficit in 2024/25 amid sluggish home sales and fast-growing cost of insurance for state employees, according to a mid-year update delivered in December. An "airport city" projected to soar sky high as an urban model for other Australian centres to follow is getting a major cash injection for infrastructure. The aerotropolis precinct near the under-construction Western Sydney International Airport will receive $835 million in support as part of the NSW budget, to be delivered later in June. Some $30 million will go solely to ensuring road signs across the state capital can direct road users to the billion-dollar airport city. Sydney Water will also invest $644 million to deliver stormwater and recycled water infrastructure across the Mamre Road precinct, northwest of the airport, the state government announced on Monday. Much of the site is farmland serviced only by local roads and basic infrastructure. The surrounding 11,200-hectare industrial and housing zone is designed to create thousands of jobs and drive economic growth in western Sydney. The airport is scheduled to open in late 2026, but delays in building the hub around it has prompted NSW Premier Chris Minns to be proactive. "The reason we're making that investment is to learn the lessons of previous governments," he told reporters on Monday. "Communities came, the homes went in, the population massively increased, but essential infrastructure just was never built, or it came years later. "We're trying to get in early ... whether it's this upcoming budget or the previous two, in southwestern Sydney, you are seeing for the first time in a long time, an investment in essential services." Other funding includes $150 million for roads around the airport district for freight transport and to account for the city's expanding population. Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison also noted how western Sydney, housing nearly half of the city's 5.6 million residents, was promised a lot from politicians but delivery had been slow. "We know that western Sydney has been struggling for a decade or more to get the roads infrastructure that it needs," she said. The $5.3 billion international aviation hub will cater for up to five million passengers per year. The area will also be fitted out with a new fire station that will become the largest in western Sydney, with $42 million to be spent on the Badgerys Creek facility and more than 50 extra firefighters. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey was upbeat about the budget on Sunday, saying it would show real wages growing and a recovery in disposable incomes after recent interest rate cuts. NSW was forecast to record a $5 billion budget deficit in 2024/25 amid sluggish home sales and fast-growing cost of insurance for state employees, according to a mid-year update delivered in December. An "airport city" projected to soar sky high as an urban model for other Australian centres to follow is getting a major cash injection for infrastructure. The aerotropolis precinct near the under-construction Western Sydney International Airport will receive $835 million in support as part of the NSW budget, to be delivered later in June. Some $30 million will go solely to ensuring road signs across the state capital can direct road users to the billion-dollar airport city. Sydney Water will also invest $644 million to deliver stormwater and recycled water infrastructure across the Mamre Road precinct, northwest of the airport, the state government announced on Monday. Much of the site is farmland serviced only by local roads and basic infrastructure. The surrounding 11,200-hectare industrial and housing zone is designed to create thousands of jobs and drive economic growth in western Sydney. The airport is scheduled to open in late 2026, but delays in building the hub around it has prompted NSW Premier Chris Minns to be proactive. "The reason we're making that investment is to learn the lessons of previous governments," he told reporters on Monday. "Communities came, the homes went in, the population massively increased, but essential infrastructure just was never built, or it came years later. "We're trying to get in early ... whether it's this upcoming budget or the previous two, in southwestern Sydney, you are seeing for the first time in a long time, an investment in essential services." Other funding includes $150 million for roads around the airport district for freight transport and to account for the city's expanding population. Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison also noted how western Sydney, housing nearly half of the city's 5.6 million residents, was promised a lot from politicians but delivery had been slow. "We know that western Sydney has been struggling for a decade or more to get the roads infrastructure that it needs," she said. The $5.3 billion international aviation hub will cater for up to five million passengers per year. The area will also be fitted out with a new fire station that will become the largest in western Sydney, with $42 million to be spent on the Badgerys Creek facility and more than 50 extra firefighters. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey was upbeat about the budget on Sunday, saying it would show real wages growing and a recovery in disposable incomes after recent interest rate cuts. NSW was forecast to record a $5 billion budget deficit in 2024/25 amid sluggish home sales and fast-growing cost of insurance for state employees, according to a mid-year update delivered in December.
The Advertiser
40 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Proposed law change protects questionable pub jokes
Telling a questionable joke at a pub will not land people before an anti-discrimination complaints hearing under a territory's proposed new laws. Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby has defended the Northern Territory government's planned anti-discrimination laws to be introduced to parliament in July. At an estimates hearing on Monday, she rejected accusations from shadow attorney-general Chansey Paech that the planned laws "watered down" protections for people offended by comments made about them. Ms Boothby said her government was restoring "fairness and common sense" to laws that went too far when the previous Labor government revised them in 2022. The proposed laws remove "vague" terms such as "offend" and "insult". They will be replaced with clearer terms to prohibit conduct that "incites hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule" based on personal attributes such as race, sexuality, gender identity, religion and more. "It's still a strong measure of anti-vilification, so we don't put up with that kind of behaviour," Ms Boothby said. "Any kind of hate speech is not acceptable in our community." The attorney-general said the new laws also restored protections for religious schools, allowing them to hire staff who upheld their faith while protecting against discrimination based on race, sexuality or gender. Territorians wanted their freedom to enjoy the territory lifestyle, she said. "It's not just having a joke at the pub that's going to land you in front of a hearing," Ms Boothby said. "We want something that's more serious than that. "We still want to be able to tell a joke. We still want to have freedom of speech debates." It was a case of restoring balance and ensuring the law did not overreach into everyday conversations, religious freedoms, or basic rights to express an opinion, Ms Boothby said. The government consulted religious and multicultural groups, sex workers, LGBTQI groups, the anti-discrimination commissioner and others on the new laws. The proposed legislation was in line with changes made in other Australian jurisdictions, the attorney-general said. The estimates hearing was told the office of the NT Anti-Discrimination Commissioner had a budget cut for 2025/26 of $269,000 to $1.65 million. Commissioner Jeswynn Yogaratnam told the hearing his office received up to 300 complaints a year but only had two complaints officers amid a large backlog of cases. He said only three of 46 vilification complaints this financial year had been accepted in relation to race, religious belief, gender identity and disability. Complaints were assessed as to whether they were trivial, vexatious or had no grounds, while those that proceeded were subject to a high-threshold objective standard of assessment, Mr Yogaratnam said. "So things like your jokes at the pub would not amount to vilification in the context of the way in which we assess it. "Clearly if that joke is one that incites hatred in relation to one of the 24 protected attributes like race, gender identity, disability, then that would be something we would need to consider." Any other version of the NT's vilification provision "would be watering it down" because it was the strongest vilification law in Australia, he said. Telling a questionable joke at a pub will not land people before an anti-discrimination complaints hearing under a territory's proposed new laws. Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby has defended the Northern Territory government's planned anti-discrimination laws to be introduced to parliament in July. At an estimates hearing on Monday, she rejected accusations from shadow attorney-general Chansey Paech that the planned laws "watered down" protections for people offended by comments made about them. Ms Boothby said her government was restoring "fairness and common sense" to laws that went too far when the previous Labor government revised them in 2022. The proposed laws remove "vague" terms such as "offend" and "insult". They will be replaced with clearer terms to prohibit conduct that "incites hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule" based on personal attributes such as race, sexuality, gender identity, religion and more. "It's still a strong measure of anti-vilification, so we don't put up with that kind of behaviour," Ms Boothby said. "Any kind of hate speech is not acceptable in our community." The attorney-general said the new laws also restored protections for religious schools, allowing them to hire staff who upheld their faith while protecting against discrimination based on race, sexuality or gender. Territorians wanted their freedom to enjoy the territory lifestyle, she said. "It's not just having a joke at the pub that's going to land you in front of a hearing," Ms Boothby said. "We want something that's more serious than that. "We still want to be able to tell a joke. We still want to have freedom of speech debates." It was a case of restoring balance and ensuring the law did not overreach into everyday conversations, religious freedoms, or basic rights to express an opinion, Ms Boothby said. The government consulted religious and multicultural groups, sex workers, LGBTQI groups, the anti-discrimination commissioner and others on the new laws. The proposed legislation was in line with changes made in other Australian jurisdictions, the attorney-general said. The estimates hearing was told the office of the NT Anti-Discrimination Commissioner had a budget cut for 2025/26 of $269,000 to $1.65 million. Commissioner Jeswynn Yogaratnam told the hearing his office received up to 300 complaints a year but only had two complaints officers amid a large backlog of cases. He said only three of 46 vilification complaints this financial year had been accepted in relation to race, religious belief, gender identity and disability. Complaints were assessed as to whether they were trivial, vexatious or had no grounds, while those that proceeded were subject to a high-threshold objective standard of assessment, Mr Yogaratnam said. "So things like your jokes at the pub would not amount to vilification in the context of the way in which we assess it. "Clearly if that joke is one that incites hatred in relation to one of the 24 protected attributes like race, gender identity, disability, then that would be something we would need to consider." Any other version of the NT's vilification provision "would be watering it down" because it was the strongest vilification law in Australia, he said. Telling a questionable joke at a pub will not land people before an anti-discrimination complaints hearing under a territory's proposed new laws. Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby has defended the Northern Territory government's planned anti-discrimination laws to be introduced to parliament in July. At an estimates hearing on Monday, she rejected accusations from shadow attorney-general Chansey Paech that the planned laws "watered down" protections for people offended by comments made about them. Ms Boothby said her government was restoring "fairness and common sense" to laws that went too far when the previous Labor government revised them in 2022. The proposed laws remove "vague" terms such as "offend" and "insult". They will be replaced with clearer terms to prohibit conduct that "incites hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule" based on personal attributes such as race, sexuality, gender identity, religion and more. "It's still a strong measure of anti-vilification, so we don't put up with that kind of behaviour," Ms Boothby said. "Any kind of hate speech is not acceptable in our community." The attorney-general said the new laws also restored protections for religious schools, allowing them to hire staff who upheld their faith while protecting against discrimination based on race, sexuality or gender. Territorians wanted their freedom to enjoy the territory lifestyle, she said. "It's not just having a joke at the pub that's going to land you in front of a hearing," Ms Boothby said. "We want something that's more serious than that. "We still want to be able to tell a joke. We still want to have freedom of speech debates." It was a case of restoring balance and ensuring the law did not overreach into everyday conversations, religious freedoms, or basic rights to express an opinion, Ms Boothby said. The government consulted religious and multicultural groups, sex workers, LGBTQI groups, the anti-discrimination commissioner and others on the new laws. The proposed legislation was in line with changes made in other Australian jurisdictions, the attorney-general said. The estimates hearing was told the office of the NT Anti-Discrimination Commissioner had a budget cut for 2025/26 of $269,000 to $1.65 million. Commissioner Jeswynn Yogaratnam told the hearing his office received up to 300 complaints a year but only had two complaints officers amid a large backlog of cases. He said only three of 46 vilification complaints this financial year had been accepted in relation to race, religious belief, gender identity and disability. Complaints were assessed as to whether they were trivial, vexatious or had no grounds, while those that proceeded were subject to a high-threshold objective standard of assessment, Mr Yogaratnam said. "So things like your jokes at the pub would not amount to vilification in the context of the way in which we assess it. "Clearly if that joke is one that incites hatred in relation to one of the 24 protected attributes like race, gender identity, disability, then that would be something we would need to consider." Any other version of the NT's vilification provision "would be watering it down" because it was the strongest vilification law in Australia, he said. Telling a questionable joke at a pub will not land people before an anti-discrimination complaints hearing under a territory's proposed new laws. Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby has defended the Northern Territory government's planned anti-discrimination laws to be introduced to parliament in July. At an estimates hearing on Monday, she rejected accusations from shadow attorney-general Chansey Paech that the planned laws "watered down" protections for people offended by comments made about them. Ms Boothby said her government was restoring "fairness and common sense" to laws that went too far when the previous Labor government revised them in 2022. The proposed laws remove "vague" terms such as "offend" and "insult". They will be replaced with clearer terms to prohibit conduct that "incites hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule" based on personal attributes such as race, sexuality, gender identity, religion and more. "It's still a strong measure of anti-vilification, so we don't put up with that kind of behaviour," Ms Boothby said. "Any kind of hate speech is not acceptable in our community." The attorney-general said the new laws also restored protections for religious schools, allowing them to hire staff who upheld their faith while protecting against discrimination based on race, sexuality or gender. Territorians wanted their freedom to enjoy the territory lifestyle, she said. "It's not just having a joke at the pub that's going to land you in front of a hearing," Ms Boothby said. "We want something that's more serious than that. "We still want to be able to tell a joke. We still want to have freedom of speech debates." It was a case of restoring balance and ensuring the law did not overreach into everyday conversations, religious freedoms, or basic rights to express an opinion, Ms Boothby said. The government consulted religious and multicultural groups, sex workers, LGBTQI groups, the anti-discrimination commissioner and others on the new laws. The proposed legislation was in line with changes made in other Australian jurisdictions, the attorney-general said. The estimates hearing was told the office of the NT Anti-Discrimination Commissioner had a budget cut for 2025/26 of $269,000 to $1.65 million. Commissioner Jeswynn Yogaratnam told the hearing his office received up to 300 complaints a year but only had two complaints officers amid a large backlog of cases. He said only three of 46 vilification complaints this financial year had been accepted in relation to race, religious belief, gender identity and disability. Complaints were assessed as to whether they were trivial, vexatious or had no grounds, while those that proceeded were subject to a high-threshold objective standard of assessment, Mr Yogaratnam said. "So things like your jokes at the pub would not amount to vilification in the context of the way in which we assess it. "Clearly if that joke is one that incites hatred in relation to one of the 24 protected attributes like race, gender identity, disability, then that would be something we would need to consider." Any other version of the NT's vilification provision "would be watering it down" because it was the strongest vilification law in Australia, he said.
